October celebrates Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month. With two consecutive fall months promoting adoption from local animal shelters, it’s easy to see that Autumn is the season for spreading the word about all the great animals in local shelters just waiting for their own forever homes.

Each year in the US, many people find a devoted furry friend or new family member at their local shelter. Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter encourages everyone to "Make Adoption Your First Option." The goal is to encourage people to give first consideration to their local shelter when planning to add a pet to their family.

There are many good reasons to adopt a dog. Dogs can be loyal companions that make a big difference in your world as a best friend, an exercise buddy for walking, hiking, boating, a pal that can be trained to provide animal-assisted therapy, or simply a sweet, fuzzy face to greet you each morning and evening after a hard day at work.

As with many shelters, PMFAS takes in scores of adoptable dogs each year that become homeless through no fault of their own. Each dog is medically evaluated, updated on vaccinations, and given an identifying chip. Additionally, a behavior assessment is done to determine the dog’s unique attributes and characteristics. These profiles help potential adopters choose the pup that best suits their personality and lifestyle.

Unfortunately, there is a misperception that shelters only have “mutts” (mixed breed dogs) available and that purebred dogs are never available for adoption. First of all, “mutts” often make the best family members and the best companions due to the very mix of their breeds. Aside from that, nationwide, shelters report that anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of dogs surrendered or found as strays are purebreds. Additionally, literally hundreds of purebred rescue groups focus solely on taking in and adopting out specific breeds. Like shelters, many rescue groups are made up of dedicated volunteers who usually work hand-in-hand with foster homes and local shelters to house, care for and carefully place purebreds in new, hopefully permanent, homes. For prospective dog owners who are interested in a particular breed, rescue groups provide an alternative to breeders and pet shops where most puppies come from puppy mills. For more information about specific shelters or specific breeds, visit www.petfinder.com. You can search by locality, by shelter, by breed, age, and gender to find your new best friend.

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month! At animal shelters and rescue groups everywhere, there are loving, healthy senior pets looking for that one special person or family to cherish them for the rest of their life. They don’t ask for much: just a warm place to sleep, healthy meals and plenty of love. They often enjoy going for walks with you and they can cuddle and snuggle as well as any younger pet. Adopting a senior pet really means that you’re adopting a furry friend that has years of experience in being a best friend. Most older dogs are house-trained and have mastered basic commands such as “sit,” “stay,” “come,” and “down.” The old adage of “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is not true! Dogs can be trained at any age and older dogs are just as teachable as younger ones. Older dogs have a greater attention span than a puppy, which makes them easier to train. Older dogs and cats are often more calm than puppies or kittens. They have lived with humans before and, with the right amount of time, they can easily become accustomed to a new home and family.

During this autumn season, take the opportunity to get acquainted with the cats and dogs available at Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter. You can view our cuddly creatures at Pets for Adoption at Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter Inc., in Orleans, VT | Petfinder or find us on Facebook at Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter.



Better yet – just call to make an appointment (802-754-2228) and come see our delightful furry friends at 4473 Barton Orleans Road in Orleans, VT. Spend some time with our senior felines. We look forward to seeing you soon! And remember: Don’t shop - Adopt!